Merz Tells Trump ‘No Surprises’ Ahead of Putin Talks in China

Speaking in Dublin as EU leaders gathered, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said some in the Irish capital already feared a “second Anchorage moment” if Washington and Moscow struck a deal that left Europe and Ukraine on the sidelines.

He was referring to the Trump-Putin summit in Anchorage, Alaska, which European leaders had treated as a potentially pivotal moment in efforts to end the war.

“I therefore want to state our message to the United States very clearly: please, no surprises. Continue to play as part of ‘Team Europe’ and ‘Team Ukraine’,” Merz said.

Warning of a Second Anchorage

The remarks came on Friday, when EU leaders held an informal European Council in Dublin after Thursday’s meeting of the European Political Community.

Merz was addressing expected talks on Ukraine between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in China next week, Reuters reported.

Those comments followed meetings this week in Abu Dhabi between U.S. and Russian representatives. Merz said substantive peace negotiations were expected to begin in the coming weeks, with European participation for the first time.

Europe Seeks a Place at Talks

European governments have been pressing for a seat at any settlement, wary that a U.S.-backed process could leave Kyiv exposed. AP reported that leaders in Dublin were debating whether Europe should appoint a single envoy, and who that should be, without yet reaching a consensus.

French President Emmanuel Macron has already said he would be willing to serve in that role.

Merz also rejected Russian calls to put Europe’s security architecture at the center of the talks, arguing that this framework already exists in NATO.

“The upcoming discussions must focus on one central question: within what framework can Ukraine’s security be guaranteed once peace is achieved? First, however, we must actually reach that peace.”

Budget Fight Still Unsettled

Separately, Merz is pushing EU leaders to lock in support for Ukraine as part of negotiations on the bloc’s long-term budget. He said the proposal had received broad backing, though an agreement remained a long way off.

That campaign follows his earlier warning that he would block the next EU budget unless all members fund Ukraine.

Merz has also said he would not shy away from talking with Putin if the Russian leader attends the G20 gathering in Miami, a separate track from the China meeting he addressed on Friday.